


Just Smile

by fearlessly



Series: ONE [12]
Category: Glee
Genre: And not the thoughts of the author, Episode: s01 e12, Episode: s01 e12 Mattress, Gen, Getting Gussied Up, Humour, Internal Monologue, Internalized racism, Mattress - Freeform, Self-Esteem Issues, it's very minor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-25 17:13:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13839330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fearlessly/pseuds/fearlessly
Summary: A glimpse into each member’s internal monologue, as they prepare to have their Glee Club yearbook picture taken for the McKinley Thunderclap.





	1. Girls

**Author's Note:**

> For a fuller experience, I suggest you watch the first thirty seconds of Glee's Smile, as this installment is entirely based on those moments in the girls' and boys' bathrooms. [Smile](https://youtu.be/eFs_RkdcgoA/)
> 
> Beta'd by the winsome [Aj4668](http://archiveofourown.org/users/aj4668). Thank you!

_Berry_

Rachel Barbra Berry, you are a star. You are the sole captain of this glee club. You single-handedly landed your first acting job, and booked supporting roles for the rest of the New Directions, as well. This could be your big break, so consider this the last photo to be taken of you before paparazzi are swarming you and knocking down your door. This will be the picture everyone will see when People.com run the “before she was famous” segment, after you win your first Tony. Your smile will be the center focus; your teeth and both sides of your face have to be perfect, because as much as you insist on being photographed only on your left side, photographers just don’t listen. Good thing you flossed after third and fifth period. And, thank goodness you brought your whitening toothpaste today. Brush, brush, brush, Rachel Berry – this is the beginning of the rest of your life, the first real smile of many…

 

_Pierce_

I wish these Cheerios uniforms had pockets. It really sucks that these skirts don’t have a place to stash girl things, like fruit loops, pepperoni sticks, lip-gloss, and a compact. Losing cereal in my boobs is becoming a problem. And Santana always mistakes the pepperoni for my nipples. At least my compact fits inside my bra, but it’s uncomfortable. Maybe it’s because I didn’t even start wearing a bra until I became a pocketless Cheerio. Having the compact press against my boob feels weird and I’m really worried that I’ll get pepperoni grease all over it. 

Speaking of pepperoni, I need to talk to Lord Tubbington. Not only has he started smoking my pepperoni sticks again, but he keeps sleeping on my skirt. Just because he’s using his kitty bed as a grow op, doesn’t mean he can curl up anywhere and leave his fur inside the pleats…

 

_Lopez_

I don’t even know why I’m bothering to fix my hair and makeup. I mean, look at me, I’m a natural beauty. And… let’s be real, this is the glee club photo we’re talking about. It’s going to get defaced, and not even my hot body and cheerleader status will deter Brittany from taking a marker to it. Every single one of us is going to end up with slurs written across our forehead, buck teeth, and a moustache - especially Berry, because she already has a fairly obvious ‘stache. Her upper lip is darker than most of the guys I know – Frankenteen and Lady Hummel, for sure! 

But I guess for the short span of time before Britt and those losers get their hands on the ‘Clap, I want to look my absolute best, because let’s face it… I have a reputation to upkeep. Just because it’s easy for me to look like a hot piece of ass all the time (because again, natural beauty), doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t put in the extra effort. 

High pony, check… lipstick, check…  complexion, check…

 

_Cohen-Chang_

Mercedes has the nicest cheekbones. Why can’t I have cheekbones like that? I’m stuck with fat, pale, uninteresting ones, and let’s not even get started on my eyes… Bless the people who refer to them as almond shaped, but I know that what they really want to say is ‘almond slivers’. Why have I been cursed? At least I have nice hair - although, I don’t really like the colour. The blue streaks suit me better, I think. Ooh, now that I’ve broken into the biz, maybe I should get coloured contacts to match! I should ask Kurt’s opinion.

 

_Jones_

Compared to my full, luscious ones, Tina’s lips are so thin. I bet she saves a lot of money on lipstick. But what she saves she must spend tenfold on eye-shadow, because girlfriend wears way too much of it.

 

_Fabray_

I guess being out of that Cheerios uniform isn’t so bad.  This dress that I chose looks perfect. Not only do the white and the lace-pattern scream ‘virgin’, but the cut hides the baby bump really well. It just looks like I had a big lunch.


	2. Boys

_Rutherford_

Mama always says, ‘Matthew, find something you’re good at, develop those skills, and don’t worry about the rest.’ Singing is not your strength. Sure you’re a good dancer, but standing out is tough when you’ve got Chang’s moves to contend with. But we’ve been through this, R-Dawg - those things don’t matter. What’s really gonna keep you in the game are your fly looks. Once this picture comes out, the ladies will be fighting for your attention. I can feel it; things are just beginning for you. Everything’s happening. You’re gonna have a long career in this glee club. You ain’t no flash in the pan.

 

_Hummel_

Why am I even here? It smells like sweaty socks, and the grunting sound Finn is making as he struggles to lift those dumbbells is so indecorous. If it weren’t for the fact that I just could not, in good conscience, allow Artie to pose for the yearbook picture with his tie looking like it has been run over by Mr. Schuester’s tragic excuse for a car (because let’s face it, Artie is going to get defaced first, and we don’t need to give those Neanderthals any more ammunition), I would be next door with my girls fixing their makeup and educating them on the latest trends in skin care and fashion. We all know they need the help, especially Tina.

 

_Abrams_

I don’t know what Kurt was talking about. My tie looked fine before. My mom even hand-washed and ironed it last week. Damn it, I wish McKinley would splurge on full length mirrors, or at least install these ones lower so that I could see myself below the forehead.  I’ll just have to take Kurt’s word that it looks better now. My hair’s looking dope though!

 

_Chang_

Not bad for someone who has no clue how to use hair gel.

 

_Hudson_

One… two… three…

 

_Puckerman_

Ninety-eight… ninety-nine… one hundred…


End file.
